Future Media Consumers

The class created a promotional video for this year's Gracie Gonzalez '24 is using a green screen to do the weather Celebrate fundraiser. for a class newscast.

Media Consumers

Media is the main means of mass communication: it includes all of the ways people choose to communicate other than talking to each other. Most of us regularly search out credible media for updates and critical information. Communication, in general, has taken on even greater importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers quickly learned to communicate with students differently and to use various means to communicate. Classes still go on, albeit differently. One such class is the Introduction to Media and Film-Making class, a literacy elective offered to eighth graders.

The class is a very popular, project-based class that has students explore various forms of communication. Students learn that the purpose of all media projects is to grab the audience's attention, hold its attention, and be remembered. With that in mind, each specific media class project has a different purpose: a commercial’s purpose is to get the audience to purchase the product and public service announcements (PSAs) are intended to raise awareness. Class projects include commercials for student-created products, biographical VLOGs, PSAs about Ben Olvey '24 is using a green screen to show how his group’s product, Transit Trinkets, allows purchasers to travel anywhere, super fast. bullying prevention or drug and alcohol abuse prevention, newscasts, adventure films and music videos. In addition, the class has created promotional videos used by the System for its annual Celebrate and Xavier Day fundraisers. In addition to the above, significant learning objectives include following a rubric and learning to work effectively in groups, both skills that are vital in our world today. Students also learn quickly that quality planning is a huge part of creating a good project, as is using time wisely. Every project created has to have a written script, which further integrates the writing component.

Students also engage in independent writing. They write a news article, a speech, and personal narratives. The students write about whether something is or is not a good form of media. They are asked to give their opinions quite often, but they also use facts to support their thinking. Additionally, they read articles online about fake news, media literacy and questions we all should ask ourselves whenever any of us see something in the media. Lastly, Mrs. Benthein hopes all students really think

about their media consumption, also important in today’s world.

Lucas Verbrick '24, Maggie Donovan '24, Mandy Phee 24, and Luke Krull '24 create a commercial for their class project of creating a product and making a commercial for their product, Zoom Shoes.